MSI's Win8 tablet hides slide-out keyboard

Computex — Windows 8 tablets are everywhere at the Computex trade show in Taipei, Taiwan, this week. We've had our hands on a few so far, and MSI's Slider S20 offered a surprise: a keyboard that slides out from behind the screen.

The keyboard can be extended just enough to expose the keys, although you'll need extra-long thumbs to type on the device while holding it. Most folks will want to set the Slider down on a desk or their lap, where the screen can be tilted up for easy viewing.

As one might expect, the 11.6" display supports 10-point multitouch input. While the resolution is only 1366x768, the panel at least uses IPS technology. After using an ultraportable notebook with the same screen size and resolution for several years, I have to admit they're a good combo, despite the lack of high-DPI goodness.

MSI tells us the Slider will weigh in at 2.8 lbs and feature an Ivy Bridge CPU under the hood. Rather than equipping the system with a solid-state drive, MSI has opted for a hybrid hard drive that will offer much more storage than the average SSD. USB 3.0 connectivity is also included, as are an HDMI 1.4 output port, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0. The only thing missing is a touchpad, which might not turn off some folks given the proximity of the touchscreen. Look for the Slider when Windows 8 arrives later this year.